Story Works Round Table

conversations about craft

for writers and readers curious about writers

SWRT 306 | The Revision Mindset

SWRT 306 | The Revision Mindset

In this week’s Story Works Round Table, Alida and Kathryn delve into the often daunting world of revision. Join them as they explore the mindset shifts necessary to tackle revisions without feeling overwhelmed. They discuss the importance of understanding that revision doesn’t mean starting from scratch but rather making thoughtful adjustments to enhance your story. They share personal struggles and breakthroughs with revision, offering valuable insights and practical tips for writers facing similar challenges. Tune in to learn how to approach your manuscript with confidence and a clear plan, transforming the revision process into a manageable and even enjoyable part of your writing journey.

SWRT 305 | Navigating the Feedback Landscape: A Writer’s Guide

SWRT 305 | Navigating the Feedback Landscape: A Writer’s Guide

Feedback is an essential part of the writing journey, but it can also be one of the most challenging aspects to navigate. In this week’s episode of Story Works Round Table, Kathryn and Alida delve into the intricacies of receiving and giving feedback, offering valuable insights and practical advice for writers at all stages of their careers. One of the key takeaways from the episode is the importance of discerning useful feedback from less helpful critiques. Not all feedback is created equal, and it’s crucial to find critique partners who understand your goals and can provide constructive criticism that aligns with your vision.

SWRT 138 | Writing – Life Balance, part 2

How can you reset your creative motivation when it has fallen to the wayside? How can you balance your life to give yourself the most willpower for your creative pursuits? And where do you need to re-evaluate your life and your habits? In the end, it’s all about finding the balance that works for you, your life, and your creative goals!

read more
SWRT 137 | Writing – Life Balance

SWRT 137 | Writing – Life Balance

How did 2019 go in our writing lives? And what lessons have we learned about how we have balanced, or failed to balance, our writing with our life? How can you shift your perspective from the outputs to the inputs? And how can we achieve that balance where our lives feed our creativity, and our creativity our lives?

read more
SWRT 135 | Refilling the Creative Well with Alina Sayre

SWRT 135 | Refilling the Creative Well with Alina Sayre

How did finishing a project bring Alina to a realization about herself, and her life outside of her author career? What experiences did she undertake in order to refill her creative well? And how does working on a project outside of what you previously finished help broaden your artistic horizons? We finish with a poem from Alina’s new book, Fire by Night.

read more
SWRT 134 | The Art of Death, part 2

SWRT 134 | The Art of Death, part 2

How will your personal history affect how you portray death? What about if you have never experienced anything as tragic as your character is experiencing? How can you use the element of surprise to turn a story on a death? And how should you use death in Act two? We talk about the problem of proximity in death, and whether or not death has genre conventions. In the end, we all agree that this is a great book, if you are ready to really sit and think about death!

read more
SWRT 133 | The Art of Death, part 1

SWRT 133 | The Art of Death, part 1

What was our experience with The Art of Death? What were our biggest takeaways? What makes death meaningful for the story? And what tools should you bring to write a death well? How can we make them authentic? And what is the power of the point of view?

read more
SWRT 132 | Strong Female Protagonists with Judy K Walker, part 2

SWRT 132 | Strong Female Protagonists with Judy K Walker, part 2

How is writing a female protagonist different from writing any protagonist? Are there genre pressures to what your female protagonist should be like, act like, or look like? How has television affected character driven fiction? And how does that effect the female protagonist? Finally, we give tips on how to address the female protagonist writing for today’s reader, no matter the genre.

read more
SWRT 130 | The Power of Writing to Change Lives, part 2

SWRT 130 | The Power of Writing to Change Lives, part 2

Do MPWW writers take emotional risks in their writing? How can we take a page from their book to form supportive writing communities? And how is the Twin Cities Community involved in supporting the program? Has the MPWW program affected the DOC? And what misconceptions does Jen encounter? And finally, we talk about how you can help support this program, and all the work that it is doing!

read more